Kitty litter goes green

9 June 2011

A greener cat litter has been developed by Imperial researchers, in partnership with a leading pet product supplier. Currently, the biggest-selling cat litter products are primarily made from clay minerals, such as bentonite and sepiolite, mined and imported from quarries in Mediterranean countries. The products have a significant carbon footprint and high product miles because they have to be transported over long distances.

Now, the Imperial team, working with pet products company Bob Martin, has developed a low-cost cat litter made from waste material sourced from UK quarries. It should be available in leading supermarkets from 2012.

Researchers had to augment the quarry waste material, consisting primarily of limestone fragments, to match the absorbent qualities of minerals used in imported products. The waste material was mixed with an organic binder and a small amount of absorbent polymer, such as that used in nappies, to soak up waste. The ingredients were then mixed and dried to produce a granular cat litter.

Dr Chris Cheeseman (Civil and Environmental Engineering) said: “We had to develop a product that was absorbent and robust enough so that it didn’t end up as pulverised dust. We even had to make sure that cat litter did not stick to pussy paws and leave cat tracks throughout the house. On a more serious note, it was great working with Bob Martin and we have developed a potentially world-leading product.”

The granule technology used in the new cat litter could be adapted for other applications, including de-icing grits for roads, soil supplements to increase the efficiency of water irrigation, and speciality horticultural products.